Leaving early at a football match - Yay or Nay?

Daysha

What do you think? Should all ticket buyers have the responsibility to support their team through the whole 90 mins or do you think they have the right to make a stand by leaving early?

I guess it matters what type of match it is. The ones that really irk me are when the big clubs like Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal fans etc leave early when their winning just so they can beat the traffic. Have you ever seen the north stand at Old Trafford in the final few minutes of a match :eek:

If Im being honest, I don't like fans leaving early if their team is getting destroyed either. You go to a match as a supporter of a club, and every club has good games and bad. But leaving early doesn't help the matter. Stick it out and follow your team regardless.

Opinions?

DerekD Goldfish

dont think ive ever left before the final whistle
I have left without staying to chear the team off if I feel they haven't deserved it

Mitch Connor

deise59 wrote: »

What do you think? Should all ticket buyers have the responsibility to support their team through the whole 90 mins or do you think they have the right to make a stand by leaving early?

I guess it matters what type of match it is. The ones that really irk me are when the big clubs like Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal fans etc leave early when their winning just so they can beat the traffic. Have you ever seen the north stand at Old Trafford in the final few minutes of a match :eek:

If Im being honest, I don't like fans leaving early if their team is getting destroyed either. You go to a match as a supporter of a club, and every club has good games and bad. But leaving early doesn't help the matter. Stick it out and follow your team regardless.

Opinions?

You buy a ticket so that you can go see the match, not so you HAVE to.

If you are not enjoying the specticle that is being put on, if you are annoyed/angry witht he performance or just plain bored, why should you feel obliged to stay and sit through even more crap?

Personally I dno't like leaving games early, and certainly wouldn't leave a United game early but so what if other people do? They have paid their money and it is their choice. IMO there is no obligation to stay. I'd prefer people to stay, and for them to cheer loudly, but i can't make them, and wouldn't want to if i could.

shane86

Tauren wrote: »

You buy a ticket so that you can go see the match, not so you HAVE to.

If you are not enjoying the specticle that is being put on, if you are annoyed/angry witht he performance or just plain bored, why should you feel obliged to stay and sit through even more crap?

Personally I dno't like leaving games early, and certainly wouldn't leave a United game early but so what if other people do? They have paid their money and it is their choice. IMO there is no obligation to stay. I'd prefer people to stay, and for them to cheer loudly, but i can't make them, and wouldn't want to if i could.

But I think his point is also, in regards to the likes of United, fairweather fans are just turning up, seeing Ronaldo and Rooney put a comfortable margin against the likes of Derby and then leave by 75 mins as it is "safe" to do so i.e. barring some miracle Derby will not come back from 3-0 down. Therefore they cant blame the performance- they came, they saw the goals (about all some of these crowd are interested in) and then went home. I doubt many people leave early if its, lets say, Chelsea 2 Man U 1 on the 80th, as the game has the potential to go either way.

I can, however, understand people running out of the Cyprus game, especially since qualification was lost at the time. But generally its a no for me.

ciaran76

Once I nearly did it. It was an Everton v Chartlon game last season and Everton went 1 up in the 82 min or so. Then right at the death Bent scored for Charlton I reckon it was the 90th min. or so.
After their goal celebrations and alot of angry Everton fans leaving around me I decided I might aswell go aswell as this was just tripe.

I sat down for 1 min and then said fcuk it I might aswell stay as I will not get far as most people are leaving. Anyway Luckily for me McFadden went and scored in the 92nd or 93rd min to make it 2-1 and most people I met after the game had not seen the 2nd goal.

prendy

i remember Henry had a rant last season bout this.
i dont ever leave games early but it is up to the person who bought the ticket.as an earlier post said if your not enjoying it then its your right to leave.

DerekD Goldfish

prendy wrote: »

i remember Henry had a rant last season bout this.
i dont ever leave games early but it is up to the person who bought the ticket.as an earlier post said if your not enjoying it then its your right to leave.

Since when is going to a game about enjoyment?

prendy

since always..if i didnt enjoy football i wouldnt go!

KdjaCL

oh crap its customer vs fan again



kdjac

AARRRGH

deise59 wrote: »

Should all ticket buyers have the responsibility to support their team through the whole 90 mins or do you think they have the right to make a stand by leaving early?

They have a right to leave early. It's a free world, so after paying [a lot of money] for a ticket you can come and go whenever you please.

The players should be professional enough to do their job whether the stadium is full, half full, or empty.

Fratton Fred

I have left a game early once, it was a relegation battle between pompey and Palace at the foot of the old first division. Pompey were crap despite the fact three points would have meant safety. 5 minutes to go and Palace went 4-1 up. I had to leave, I couldn't stand watching anymore.

It was a case of voting with my feet, our "Star" players (one Lee Mills in particular) were awful and didn't deserve the passion the Pompey fans had shown. We survived on the last day, but that game stays with me as a particular low point in watching pompey.

A lot of fans were leaving with 5 minutes to go against Boro on Saturday, but I stayed and watched to the end, although we could still be playing wouldn't have scored we were that bad.

In principal I would say fans should stay to the end, but sometimes things are so bad you have to leave. The question arises over what is bad.

Mitch Connor

KdjaCL wrote: »

oh crap its customer vs fan again



kdjac

unless 'fans' were not forced to pay, then you have to class them as a customer, as that is how the club sees them.

sprinkles

course people have th right to leave early. Your ticket isn't a contract. That said I would never leave before the final wistle - I go to support the team first and be entertained second. I've sat through some pretty rubbish football matches in my time.

jameshayes

I dont think i have ever left early in a match. I think it's terrible.

_blank_

Only **** leave games early imo.

Support your team to the final whistle.

Killme00

I have never left a match early that i have paid into. A few years ago when Tyrone were destroying Dublin in Croke Park, i stayed despite my disgust at Dublins ineptitude. Thousands left that day and Dessie farrell scored a late goal, it was funny to watch the fools rush back in. We still lost.

I have left martial arts event early once. The tickets cost something like 45 euro and it was called Bushido Rings or something like that in the point depot, god was it crap.

shane86

Remember a documentary on sky about the 2005 CL final, some lad interviewed was saying he said sod this, had left at half time to go drinking. On the taxi into town they heard what was unfolding, tried getting back in time, stuck in traffic for the whole thing.

**** him tbh.

And as for that ultimate fighting or whatever they hold in the point, :rolleyes: x 20 million. Its a very short step up from WWF.

Killme00

shane86 wrote: »

And as for that ultimate fighting or whatever they hold in the point, :rolleyes: x 20 million. Its a very short step up from WWF.

World Wildlife Foundation?? :rolleyes:

KdjaCL

Tauren wrote: »

unless 'fans' were not forced to pay, then you have to class them as a customer, as that is how the club sees them.

Someone who goes to a football match to be entertained is a customer, someone who goes even tho he knows his team are ****e, are going to lose badly and stays till the end is a fan.

Ferguson ranting about 75 thousand of them in Old Traford yesterday in todays papers.


kdjac

therecklessone

Have left a few games early, mostly because I need to catch a train or bus or else I'm overnighting in London. Went to ManYoo-Benfica last season with my brother for his birthday, we left at 85mins because we had to catch a taxi back to the airport. Just made our flight, glad we left when we did.

Left one game in disgust, 3-0 down to Utd back in February last year (finished 4-0) as I just couldn't watch the cnuts anymore.

Considered leaving at 4-1 down to Villa this season but decided to stick around to boo the bastards off...:D

I hate giving the opposition's fans ammunition to throw at us by leaving a load of empty seats for them to take the piss over.

Mitch Connor

KdjaCL wrote: »

Someone who goes to a football match to be entertained is a customer, someone who goes even tho he knows his team are ****e, are going to lose badly and stays till the end is a fan.

Ferguson ranting about 75 thousand of them in Old Traford yesterday in todays papers.


kdjac

Rubbish.

First off, i'd make a distinction between fans and supporters.

Secondly - when I go to a football match I go to be entertained. I love football as smuch as anyone, but if every game I went to or watched on TV, what would be the point in watching it at all? How can you derive enjoyment from something you find dul, irritating, annoying or boring.

The level of entertainment is debatable, what entertains you is debatable, but i think you are talking crap if you say entertainment is not part of the reason customers/fans/supporters go to football games.

And on another note - if the 11 players you have payed good and HARD EARNED money to see play can not muster the passion needed to even compete in a game or put up a fight, why the hell should you show them support? We ahve all seen teams just give up on games and put in no effort for the final 10 minutes - why should you support that? What about the fans who paid a lot of money to travel to the World Cup (Italia 90 I think) where the two teams played out a draw because it suited that and didn't mount any sort of attack in the second half - why should people who paid a lot of hard earned cash to support those players and teams?

What about the recent shambolic and passionless Irish performances? Why should the majority of the players, who played crap and showed no passion, commitment or ability be supported?

Teams should have to earn the support given to them - it shouldn't be something they can take for granted.

A Dub in Glasgo

You will probably find that most of those who complain about people leaving early are the ones sitting from the comfort of their armchair or computer seat.

I have gone to hundreds of live games and I have left early about 4 times. I have no objection to people leaving early as long as they do not block my view of the game

shane86

KdjaCL wrote: »

Someone who goes to a football match to be entertained is a customer, someone who goes even tho he knows his team are ****e, are going to lose badly and stays till the end is a fan.

Indeed. I might pay to see Real v Barca purely for entertainment value. With Ireland I hate a crap win like the first Wales game or San Marino, but it is a win nonetheless.

You have to admire San Marino folks who actually turn up for home games, although in truth its probably more to see some of Europes major players than anything. I wonder is there any lone nut who travels to all the away games? (maybe Im imagining this but wasnt there a half dozen in Landsdowne?). Still, wonder how much away support they would send to Rome if they drew Italy in a group.

Davidth88

I was only tempted once.

Chelsea were losing to the Scouse in the cup in 97. I went down under the MH stand at half time , had a pint , thought ' shall I go to the pub '.... thought no Ill give the second half 10 mins..... glad I did Mark Hughes came on and as they say ' the rest is history '

I have seen Chelsea lose 6-0 ( Rotherham ), but still stuck it out.

Not sure why I was tempted to leave at half time it the Liverpool game , it could have been because I was sitting on my own and I was so pi**ed off at the performance .

In the old days of The Shed I used to move right over to the ' Tea Bar ' in the last 10-15 mins for a quick exit .

As they say in the song ' We can see you sneaking out ' .

Daysha

I don't dispute the fact that everyone has a right to leave when they want. I do feel however that if you buy a ticket you have a responsibility to stay up until the final whistle, regardless of performance. It says a lot about peoples attitude as a fan when they only cheer when they win and then head home when the going gets tough.

I was only seriously tempted once, although it wasn't a soccer match. It was the Waterford Limerick AI semi final back in August. I was positive throughout the match that we would eventually come back and beat them but when they got their 5th goal in injury time, it finally struck me that it was over for another year. I left my seat but watched the final few minutes from one of exits.

Mitch Connor

deise59 wrote: »

It says a lot about peoples attitude as a fan when they only cheer when they win and then head home when the going gets tough.

I don't see it as that black and white though.

I wouldn't leave a gameearly unless I had too, but i can understand why some people would.

I can (relitively) easily handle my time losing without wanting to leave as long as I feel teh players are trying to win. However, there are times when your team has no hope of even drawing the game, the players have done crap all for the entire match and with 10 minutes to go have just given up even trying to compete. It is a lot harder to support a bunch of players who have given up trying/caring. If the players don't care, and don't want to be there, why should you be EXPECTED to support that?

astrofool

Some people martyr themselves over things like this, some don't, simple as, imo of course. People leaving early can often be a kick in the backside to the running of the club and cause changes to happen.

citytillidie

I have never ever left a match early i dont see the point, you paid good money to go and watch it if its a game in England so you should stay and watch every minute.

smemon

if you've a decent excuse it's ok to leave (i.e. someone's sick, you need a flight/train etc...)

if you're leaving just to beat the traffic or you're tired etc, you're not worthy of the ticket you have.

if you're 6-0 down with 80 mins on the clock, NOBODY should be allowed leave, gates should be blocked and the side should be booed off the pitch by capacity crowd

DSB

The customer attitude really does disgust me to be honest. Fair enough, if someone wants to watch football solely for the entertainment factor that is their own choice, but I really don't think there is any point in claiming any real affinity with that club or calling yourself a supporter, if you're not willing to see them at their worst. Towards the start of last season, Shelbourne really weren't playing good football at all, but I definitely enjoyed last season more than the previous season (where we won the Premier). Then again, its no1s responsibility to convince me that they're a real supporter, but you're only kidding yourself.

sprinkles

There are many reasons why people would leave early. I can understand if say a family left early - as many do to avoid the crowds which can be tricky when your karting a few kids with you.

However, and this is mainly aimed at the crowds at the recent Irish matches, I don't agree with the throngs of so called supporters trailing off as early as half time. My opinion is that if you want to be able to bitch and moan about the team you can't walk out of the stadium early. I stayed and watched every dire minute of the home games in corker/landsdown and I was vocal in my support and my disapproval but I stayed in the ground til the ref blew the wistle - and a little bit longer to make sure the boos continued

If you want to leave early you can but unless you have a good reason to do so you are showing a lack of support for the team and it's direspectful IMO. I seriously doubt there were 30,000 dads and sons in croker that left early to avoid the crowds.

prendy

if you're leaving just to beat the traffic or you're tired etc, you're not worthy of the ticket you have.

WTF????
if i pay 20€ into a LOI game i can and will leave whenever i like.im supporting the club by purchasing the ticket.
what i do with that ticket is my business.i dont leave early but IT IS MY CHOICE. and i hate peoples comments to suggest people who leave arent real fans??

LeixlipRed

Can't understand people going to England to see a game and leaving early. though I don't understand why you'd go in the first place As for myself, I've left one or two games early. Both when the score was wrapped up and both when I really needed to catch a train/bus whatever. Did miss a goal in one of those games though. Jason Byrne's final goal against FK Vetra in the Intertoto in 2006. No cameras there either so I'll never see it

Never left an Ireland game either. Cyprus was tough to sit through but worth it just to boo Stan and the players at the end

DSB

prendy wrote: »

what i do with that ticket is my business.i dont leave early but IT IS MY CHOICE. and i hate peoples comments to suggest people who leave arent real fans??

You're right. It is your choice. But em its peoples CHOICE to make those comments about you 'fans'

chopperbyrne

First Ireland match I went to was a friendly against Croatia.

2-1 down with a few minutes to go and we leave.

Missed the equaliser on the way out.

Never left a game early again.

A Dub in Glasgo

I depise the 'holier than thou' that some people take. They are almost trying too hard to show they are a better supporter than others.

DSB

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

I depise the 'holier than thou' that some people take. They are almost trying too hard to show they are a better supporter than others.

Maybe people are just genuinely irritated by fairweather supporters?

A Dub in Glasgo

This goes beyond irritation. I am irritated that Celtic Park empties with 10 minutes to go but as long as those leaving early do not block my view, I could not care less that those fans are missing part of the game. If that qualifies them as fairweather supporter, so be it. What about the folk that do not sing? what about those who talk through the game? what about those that nip down to the food area before the game has finished?

I think some people are more interested in putting themselves up on the pedistal as the best supporter in the world than actually supporting the team.

Fratton Fred

DSB wrote: »

Maybe people are just genuinely irritated by fairweather supporters?

Maybe, but the fans who go week in week out are just as likely to leave as fair weather fans.

It is a visible way of showing your disatisfaction regarding the team. Some people boo, others just get up and walk out. As I said earlier, I have done it because I just couldn't watch any more of the gutless shameful performance from players earning seriously large salaries. It is a last resort and one I would never criticise people for taking. It does anoy me when you see people leaving just to miss the traffic, you should see the west Stand at Stamford bridge, there are a lot there who leave early so they can get back to the Jaguar and miss the traffic back to Mayfair:D

DSB

Nothing wrong with not singing really. It is definitely good for atmosphere but certainly not synonymous with being a supporter. Sticking by your team through thick and thin is. And no of course people don't spend their days fretting over these fairweather supporters. But it was brought up in the thread, probably related to Ferguson's comments, so it is kinda natural that people are gonna have an opinion on it.

DSB

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Maybe, but the fans who go week in week out are just as likely to leave as fair weather fans.

It is a visible way of showing your disatisfaction regarding the team. Some people boo, others just get up and walk out. As I said earlier, I have done it because I just couldn't watch any more of the gutless shameful performance from players earning seriously large salaries.

You can't expect the team to perform week in, week out. Regardless of salary. If every team did, every team would finish the season on 38 points. Important to take the good with the bad. It is that unpredictability which makes football so exciting. Why do you need a visible way of showing your dissatisfaction regarding the team?

Davidth88

Fratton Fred

It used to be the East Stand at the Bridge , esp the upper tier.

Now I live here ( Ireland ) I don't get to the Bridge so often but I imagine the West Stand Upper could be like that ( although it's actually heated ..... )

therecklessone

Fratton Fred wrote: »

Maybe, but the fans who go week in week out are just as likely to leave as fair weather fans.

Nailed on.

I know a fella has been going to Spurs for years, was at the 1967 FA Cup final against Chelsea.

He leaves the ground when he wants, rarely at home but usually away so as to avoid Old Bill wrapping us up and marching us round the houses. He managed to sneak out of Anderlecht with the binmen while the rest of us were behind a wall of Robocops, he was on his second pint while we were still in the ground.

Anyone wants to question his loyalty I can arrange a meet, but he was dodging a kicking at Millwall and Leeds while most of us were in short trousers.

I also know a fella who had to leave Fratton Park for our game vs Pompey recently after 20 minutes because of four **** who were standing behind us and slating our entire team. Keith decided he couldn't trust himself to keep his temper in check so left of his own volition rather than assisted by the local constabulary.

smemon

prendy wrote: »

WTF????
if i pay 20€ into a LOI game i can and will leave whenever i like.im supporting the club by purchasing the ticket.
what i do with that ticket is my business.i dont leave early but IT IS MY CHOICE. and i hate peoples comments to suggest people who leave arent real fans??

The best atmospheres are created by hardcore, loyal fans who actually stay inside the stadium. Or arrive like 4 hours before kick off into the ground... you see it in eastern european football and that's why it's so difficult for sides to go there as that sort of loyalty and noise awakes fear in the opposition.

Touristy/gambling/business/fairweather type fans are what kill the atmosphere which ironically most of them probably came to see and hear :rolleyes:

No good throwing money at a club if there's no heart and history to go along with it. Football doesn't run on money alone you know.

What you rather play against as a player - a stadium with 60,000 Utd fans or 60,000 Celtic fans? Utd fans of course, as the Celtic fans are the more intimidating in general.

Fratton Fred

DSB wrote: »

You can't expect the team to perform week in, week out. Regardless of salary. If every team did, every team would finish the season on 38 points. Important to take the good with the bad. It is that unpredictability which makes football so exciting. Why do you need a visible way of showing your dissatisfaction regarding the team?

I'mnot talking about a bad performance, I'm talking about a gutless shameful one when the team really need to put in a good show. There is a difference and how else do you show your frustration with the team.

As I said earlier, I was at the Boro match saturday and we were very poor. A lot of people did leave early (Around the 90 minute mark) and most of those were in the Fratton End which is all season ticket holders.

Nunu

I know it's going to seem like I'm showing a holier than thou attitude on this but I had to post in this thread because I genuinely detest when people leave grounds early.

Of course, there can be mitigating factors the odd time, but I'd say 90% who leave are doing it to beat the rush etc.

Then there's the cases where fans leave early to show their disgust at ineptitude. Well, using the Cyprus Croke Pk debacle as an example I think it would have been far more pertinent if all fans had stayed to the bitter end and do the reverse refusing to leave for a good half hour after the game as a form of protest. This really would have shown we cared and we might be rid of the clowns in the FAI aswell as Staunton as a result.....it's too easy just to walk out.

On the flip side it's hilarious when fans miss goals as a result.
The most memorable personally would have to be the Real Madrid v Leverkeusen Champions League final at Hampden. It wasn't a case of leaving the ground early but a mass exodus of fans minutes before half time to the corporate bars, eateries and toilets missed Zidanes wonder goal - I'm talking about 5,000 - 10,000 people:eek:
I made a mental note to myself then never EVER head out of the stands during play...I never could have forgiven myself if I missed that goal live!:D

A Dub in Glasgo

smemon wrote: »

The best atmospheres are created by hardcore, loyal fans who actually stay inside the stadium. Or arrive like 4 hours before kick off into the ground... you see it in eastern european football and that's why it's so difficult for sides to go there as that sort of loyalty and noise awakes fear in the opposition.

Touristy/gambling/business/fairweather type fans are what kill the atmosphere which ironically most of them probably came to see and hear :rolleyes:

No good throwing money at a club if there's no heart and history to go along with it. Football doesn't run on money alone you know.

What you rather play against as a player - a stadium with 60,000 Utd fans or 60,000 Celtic fans? Utd fans of course, as the Celtic fans are the more intimidating in general.

Only for the European games

The bigger the capacity of a ground, the bigger chance the ground will be populated by 'Touristy/gambling/business/fairweather type fans'.

Fratton Fred

therecklessone wrote: »

I also know a fella who had to leave Fratton Park for our game vs Pompey recently after 20 minutes because of four **** who were standing behind us and slating our entire team. Keith decided he couldn't trust himself to keep his temper in check so left of his own volition rather than assisted by the local constabulary.

I wasn't there, but by all accounts Spurs were quite good that day, especially Berbatov.

You always get those sort of muppets, there were four pompey "Fans" throwing rascist abuse at Shaka Hislop at fratton park whilst he was still the Pompey keeper, fortunatey they got serious abuse from those around them, reported to the stewards and are now banned from every ground in the country:)

DSB

Fratton Fred wrote: »

I'mnot talking about a bad performance, I'm talking about a gutless shameful one when the team really need to put in a good show. There is a difference and how else do you show your frustration with the team.

As I said earlier, I was at the Boro match saturday and we were very poor. A lot of people did leave early (Around the 90 minute mark) and most of those were in the Fratton End which is all season ticket holders.

Why do you need to show your frustration with the team? They certainly haven't seen you and said 'oh no, Fratton Fred is leaving the stadium, we'd better buck up our act'. And I really don't think it matters if you're a season ticket holder or not. You could go to every game a team plays in a season and be a poor supporter. Its about taking the good times with the bad. No1 is expected to accept terrible performances, and places like this are a great place to air your grievances, but theres no need for people to act like spoilt children over it.

Fratton Fred

A Dub in Glasgo wrote: »

Only for the European games

The bigger the capacity of a ground, the bigger chance the ground will be populated by 'Touristy/gambling/business/fairweather type fans'.

Also the "hardcore" fans get split up so the singing doesn't seem to be so loud.

DSB

Fratton Fred wrote: »

You always get those sort of muppets, there were four pompey "Fans" throwing rascist abuse at Shaka Hislop at fratton park whilst he was still the Pompey keeper, fortunatey they got serious abuse from those around them, reported to the stewards and are now banned from every ground in the country:)

I love stories like that. Always so nice when people aren't afraid to stand up to horrible people like them.